C3 S13 - Dancing in the Rain

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The mortal population has been affected by the black rain, and that means trouble for creatures of the night.  New York City has a population of 8.245 million, and although the CDC has developed a vaccine for the infection, manufacture and distribution have been far to slow.  Small pockets of humanity still exist that have been shut away and not exposed to the fluid, but at best this will only forestal the inevitable.  Our night begins with the PC's licking their wounds and working out where the next Necro-Lantern might be...

Kaytoss is found on the roof surveying the city.  His guerrilla attacks on the Watchdogs have resulted in some collateral blood from a former herd.  His sole mission to destroy Vernon thus far has been fruitless, the ruin of the mortal population and kindred being pushed to the absolute fringes weighs heavily on him.  Even if Vernon were slain now, what has been set in motion can not be undone.  

The Camirilla, knowing what an entire city of infected might mean launch an all out attack on Vernon's labyrinthine network of tunnels beneath the city.  Lead by Justicar Cutter and the remaining Primogens, they are met with early success as the Watchdog groups pose little threat to such powerful vampires.

 But then the axe drops.  Due to Quin's (Kilgore) inability to craft a meeting between the mortal agencies and the Camirilla, Vernon's influence still holds.  The trap is sprung as all of the manholes and distribution gates are sealed off by the military, and Hydrogen Sulphide gas is pumped down into the tunnels in massive quantities.  The PC's get a call for help from the Aidis, but are unable to ascertain their location and offer any meaningful assistance.  Their fate is currently unknown.  

The five Sabat Cardinals have arrived in the city ahead of schedule, and take action immediately.  Mortals thinking that they are in any way superior to vampires goes against everything that the Sabat hold true, and so lines are drawn with the uninfected witch hunters on one side, and the battle hardened reckless vampires on the other.  The hunters, fearing infection from the rains bait the Sabat mob down the subway tunnels.  It is currently unknown what took place, but a massive series of explosions resulted in a structural collapse and the assumed destruction of both groups.  Only Wilde Violet is pulled from the wreckage still alive.   

While the chaos and destruction of both vampiric agencies is taking place the group discovers the location of the second lantern.  Horrifyingly Vernon has set it up at the World Trade Center memorial, and has been syphoning off souls from the September 11th attacks.  Disguised as a piece of art the lantern has been sitting at the back of the memorial gallery.  A last minute attempt to swap the lantern with a fake is discovered, and a car chase begins to run down the original which was witnessed being loaded into the back of a black armored military hummer.  

     Early pursuit is hindered by a group of witch hunters rallying to the scene of the Sabat attack.  Exacerbating matters an errant Metronome sends violent waves of energy outward from Oliver dealing damage the Gorf and everyone inside.  Wanting to wield this power constructively Oliver exits the vehicle and attacks the pursuing hunters to his own peril.  Driverless the Gorf breaks pursuit and three turns must pass before Darren and Tony can attempt to pick up the trail.  Their attempt however does not last long as Tony rams the car they are in into one of the Hydrogen Sulphide tanks, in an ill conceived attempt to bring aid to the dissolving Camirilla in the tunnels below.  
     Barely surviving a salvo of rockets from the hunters, the PC's with the Gorf finally get their act together and move to follow the lantern once more.  To save time an alternate rout onto the lifted expressway is taken.  Blasting through a fight between the infected and the uninfected (sending bodies flying in all directions) and with Kilgore and Giuseppe desperately trying to repair damage done to the outside of the vehicle Darren figures there is only one way to catch the lantern.  The Gorf meets its demise on the street below the lifted freeway as Darren attempts an arial attack with the armored car (take a moment and think about that).  

     Scrambling into Kilgore's freshly hot-wired new vehicle the group solders on.  In an attempt to stop their pursuers, the Watchdogs with the lantern RPG a nearby construction platform which looks to decimate the group...unless something bold is attempted.  Throwing caution to the wind (and dealing considerable damage to the abomination riding on the back) Kilgore floors it and drives straight through the collapsing structure, cutting off the vehicle with the lantern and ending the chase.  

Amid the rubble of the destroyed construction platforms the wheels finally stop spinning.  Evil Kaytoss jumps onto the scene as the group redies their weapons and Darren launches an assault on the crate containing the second Necro-Lantern.  Things are looking good for the group until Vladrick uses his ear shattering words to bring a stop to the PC's.  No attempt it seems can be made to counter this effect, and with Evil Kaytoss ready to rip to pieces the collective group, the PC's are at a loss for what to do.
     Thankfully the grey hooded figure quickly dispatches Vladrick and breaks the badly damaged lantern.  No longer bathed in its light Kaytoss is forced to retreat and the group is set free.  

Only one lantern to go...